


Prodigal

by enigmaticblue



Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events [6]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-25
Updated: 2014-01-25
Packaged: 2018-01-09 22:19:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1151463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor finds out how much has changed in his absence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prodigal

“Thor!” Jane calls. “You have a phone call!”

 

Thor frowns, having no idea who would be calling him. There aren’t many who know his whereabouts now that he’s on Midgard consistently, and he’s still not entirely used to the technology. “Who is it?”

 

“He didn’t give a name,” Jane replies, handing him her phone. “But it sounds urgent.”

 

Thor gives the small device a dubious look, and then says, “Hello?”

 

“Thor! We need you in Orlando, Florida, Disneyworld.” Fury’s voice is unmistakable. “Some joker thought it would be a good idea to make it an actual magical place.”

 

Thor frowns. “I do not understand.”

 

“Just get there,” Fury orders. “Get your girlfriend to give you directions.”

 

The device goes silent, and Thor stares at it. “I really don’t know what he meant by that.”

 

“Who?” Darcy asks, munching on a bag of chips.

 

“Director Fury,” Thor replies absently. “He said I have to go to Florida, to a place called Disneyworld, something about magic?”

 

“Oh, man, someone attacked Disneyworld?” Darcy asks. “That blows.”

 

It’s the work of a moment to call Mjolnir and get into his armor. “How will I find this place?”

 

“Think New York, and then south and a little to the west,” Darcy advises. “It’s kind of in the middle.”

 

Thor strides out onto Jane’s balcony. “I’ll stop and ask for directions if I get lost.”

 

“If you do, you’ll be the first man in history to do so,” Jane mutters.

 

“I’ll see you soon,” Thor promises, swinging his hammer in a circle.

 

“Be careful!” Jane calls as he flies away.

 

The truth is that Thor only needs vague directions; part of his magic is an unerring sense of direction and an ability to know where to find the next battle.

 

He hasn’t seen the others since they had fought Loki and his army of Chitauri some months before, and he is both anxious to see them again, and fearful that he has no place among them now.

 

They have had months to grow closer, to become a team, and he has not been there, just as he had not been with Jane. Thor believes he made the right choice in leaving, and in not taking the throne and returning to Midgard, but all choices have consequences.

 

Or perhaps they are no closer than they were when Thor left; perhaps Banner had been right, and they are not a team.

 

Thor finds Orlando, and Disneyworld, with relative ease. There are strange creatures in the sky, shrieking at a pitch that he finds most unpleasant.

 

Iron Man streaks by him and blasts several of the creatures, and Thor follows his trajectory to see Captain America directing civilians away from the Hulk, who appears to be fighting off a group of—

 

“What are those?” Thor asks, landing next to Steve.

 

“Nice to see you, Thor, thanks for coming,” Steve says breathlessly. “And those? Those are trolls. I think. No one’s really sure, considering that they’re not supposed to exist.”

 

Thor is fairly certain that _he’s_ not supposed to exist, given what Selvig has said to him in the past, and Steve is supposed to be dead. He refrains from mentioning either fact. “What can I do?”

 

Hulk sends a troll flying, and then takes on another. They are nearly his height and breadth, but no match for his strength, although they don’t seem fazed by it. One lands heavily on the ground, the Hulk jumps on it, and it flickers and rises again.

 

“Magic,” Thor mutters, reminded suddenly of Loki—but his brother is dead.

 

“Can you find the source?” Steve asks. “They just keep coming, and the park is huge. We can’t protect everybody.”

 

Thor nods. “I’ll do what I can.”

 

He takes off, intending to fly over the park in an attempt to locate the source of the tricks, and he’s immediately swarmed by the screeching creatures. Thor goes down in a tangle of limbs, and small, leathery paws pull his hair and scratch his face.

 

Out of desperation, Thor thrusts Mjolnir out of the pack and calls the lightning. The creatures disappear when hit, and Thor attempts to leave again. This time, he manages to get off the ground, although he’s immediately attacked again, this time by small creatures that have glittering wings and hold sharp objects that prick him like needles.

 

“Go up! Straight up!” Iron Man shouts.

 

Thor flies straight up and feels the heat from Stark’s repulsors on his heels, and he begins a sweep of the park, this time unmolested. He instinctively heads for the area of the park where he doesn’t see any disturbances, and spots several youths and a woman in a dress that might have been from Asgard.

 

“What is this?” Thor demands, landing in their midst, the hint of thunder in his voice.

 

She smiles at him. “Ah, look. The protector of Midgard, the one who would abdicate his responsibility to live among nobodies!”

 

Her words trigger Thor’s own doubts that he has made the wrong decision, although there is a part of him that believes there had been no _right_ choice. Either way, Thor knows he would have regrets.

 

“Do I know you?” Thor demands.

 

“I am a big fan of your brother,” she replies with a twist of her lips. “But we have never met.”

 

Thor has no idea what he might have said, with the youths watching goggle-eyed and giggling, standing in the shadow of an ethereal castle, but he doesn’t have to come up with anything to say. The Hulk lumbers into the gathering with a roar, stomping towards the children, who run away shrieking.

 

Thor is nearly certain that the Hulk is enjoying himself, his teeth bared in what passes for a grin.

 

The woman, whoever she is, waves her hands, and Thor realizes that she’s using trickery and illusion as Loki did, although she’s not as facile.

 

Thor raises Mjolnir to call the lightning, and the Hulk reaches out and grabs her, picking her up and raising her above his head.

 

“My friend!” Thor calls. “We need her in one piece, and she cannot take the punishment that I can withstand.”

 

The Hulk grunts, holding the woman out at arms’ length and giving her a shake.

 

The woman shouts, “Let me go, you great oaf!”

 

“Hey, hey, Big Guy!” Stark calls, landing next to Thor. “Good job! Maybe you should let Thor deal with her.”

 

The Hulk growls and shakes her again, glancing at Stark as if for permission.

 

“Yeah, I know, the trolls weren’t a workout for you,” Stark says. “It’s disappointing, to be sure. Still, you need to put her down, because she’s not going to be satisfying to smash.”

 

Thor thinks the Hulk might actually be pouting, but he thrusts the woman at Thor, then wanders off in the direction of the Quinjet.

 

Thor grabs her arms and holds her wrists tightly in one hand. Not wanting to risk her magic again, he drops Mjolnir and puts a hand over her mouth, ignoring her attempts to bite him. “What are we going to do with her?” he asks.

 

“That would be for SHIELD to decide,” Stark replies. “Thank God. Hang onto her. I don’t want any more of her whatever it is today. I’ve had enough fairy tale creatures to last a fucking lifetime.”

 

“I need something to bind her hands,” Thor replies. “And a gag wouldn’t go amiss.”

 

Stark flips up his faceplate. “Widow’s on it.”

 

Agent Romanoff appears a few minutes later, and she binds the woman’s hands and produces a rag to stuff in her mouth. “That will have to do until we get her back to headquarters. We have a room that will contain her.”

 

“That was incredible!” Thor turns to see a young man approaching, his hands moving excitedly. “I never thought I’d see actual trolls! And the Hulk!”

 

“Hey, that’s my b—buddy you’re talking about,” Stark says sharply. “Watch how you talk about him.”

 

The man squeaks, and Agent Coulson approaches with a woman at his side. “We’ll take it from here,” he says. “Thor, good to see you again.”

 

Thor blinks. No one had told him that Coulson is alive. “You are alive? Are you well?”

 

Coulson’s face softens into a smile. “Perfectly well, thank you. I hear you’re going to be sticking around for a while.”

 

Thor nods, feeling strangely ill at ease. “Yes.”

 

“We’ll have to grab a drink sometime,” Coulson replies. “Catch up.”

 

The woman with Coulson is holding a brief, whispered conversation with Agent Romanoff, who announces, “I’m going to go with them.”

 

The woman with Thor gives him a brief, assessing look, and a faint smile tilts her lips as she takes custody of their prisoner, Romanoff on the other side.

 

“I’ll see you later at the debrief,” Coulson says, following the women as they walked away.

 

“I’m, uh, going to finish my readings,” the young man says. “Mr. Stark, it’s a real honor to meet you.”

 

“Yeah, I’m going to find Bruce’s emergency pants,” Stark says dismissively.

 

The young woman elbows the man in the side. “Fitz!”

 

He raises his hands. “Sorry! It’s just—come on, Jemma. The Hulk! You’ve said before it—he’s a marvel!”

 

“He is my friend,” Thor replies quietly. “He is not an object to be stared at.”

 

Jemma smiles. “We’re so sorry, Mr.—um, Mr. Thor?” She blushes, glances at Thor’s chest, and then stares at the ground. “Excuse us,” she says as she hauls Fitz away.

 

Thor has no idea what has just happened, and he trudges towards the others, realizing all over again how much he’s missed while away. He feels a little lost, and he strongly considers going back to London and to Jane, where he at least has some idea of his place.

 

“Oh, come on! Whose turn was it to remember the emergency pants?” Stark’s asking as Thor approaches, his faceplate flipped up.

 

Steve, Agent Barton, and Banner look at each other. “Uh, I think it was your turn, Tony,” Steve offers.

 

Banner sighs. “It’s no big deal.”

 

He’s wearing nothing more than a pair of very tattered pants that leave little to the imagination, and Thor quickly detaches his cape and drapes it over Banner’s shoulders.

 

Banner starts a bit, and then he smiles. “Thanks, Thor. For this, and for coming.”

 

“It was my pleasure,” Thor replies. “On both counts.”

 

“Looks like the cape is good for something after all,” Stark says.

 

Banner rolls his eyes. “Be nice, Tony.”

 

“I am being nice!” Stark protests. “Seriously, Thor, good to see you, and thanks for covering Bruce’s ass. Literally.”

 

Barton snorts. “Come on. I’m really hoping there’s a pizza with my name on it. Thor? You coming with us?”

 

Thor hesitates. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

 

“You’re not intruding,” Steve insists immediately. “You’re part of the team.”

 

“You have to get your cape back, right?” Banner adds. “You don’t have to be back in London right away?”

 

Thor shakes his head. “No, although I should inform Jane that I will not be home immediately.”

 

“Already done, Point Break,” Stark says cheerfully. “Your lady love says to have fun and let her know if you’re staying more than one night.”

 

They head for the Quinjet. “If I may ask,” Thor begins hesitantly. “How is Coulson still alive?”

 

“Good question,” Stark mutters, sounding disgruntled.

 

Thor glances around. “I don’t understand.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Steve replies sympathetically. “Tony’s just irritated there are some secrets he hasn’t managed to unearth.”

 

“Yet!” Stark insists. “ _Yet_. I haven’t managed to unearth them _yet_.”

 

Barton shakes his head. “Let it go, Tony.”

 

“I just want to know what happened!” Stark protests as they board the Quinjet.

 

Banner leans in close to Thor and murmurs, “Tony hates a mystery, and at this point, I think Fury’s keeping it quiet just to irritate him.”

 

Thor smiles. “I didn’t know he was alive,” he admits.

 

“Bit of a shock, huh?” Banner asks.

 

Thor nods. “Yes, it was. I feel as though I’ve missed much in my time away.”

 

“Only a moderate amount,” Banner replies. “We’ll get you caught up in no time.”

 

“The only cure for missing things is to hang out with us more often,” Barton calls over his shoulder, apparently having heard their conversation.

 

“Yeah, don’t be a stranger,” Stark says, standing behind the pilot seat. “Etcetera and so forth.”

 

Thor sits down next to Banner. “Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

 

“There are a few things,” Banner replies. “But they’re probably better over pizza and beer. Clint? Is Natasha joining us?”

 

“Think she’s hanging with May,” Barton replies. “Interrogating that woman. She said she’d meet us at the Tower when she’s done.”

 

Stark smirks. “What I would give to be a fly on that wall. Still not worried, Bruce?”

 

Banner grins. “Ultra-competent women, Tony. You can’t tell me that’s not a turn on.”

 

“That is half my problem right now,” Stark admits.

 

Thor is still lost, but Banner shoots him a grin as though he’s in on the joke, and Thor figures he just needs a little time to get feel comfortable.

 

And perhaps, someday, Midgard will feel like home.


End file.
